Having failed in a bid for the controversial 2018 and 2022 editions of the World Cup, Spain and Portugal announced their intention to bid again in 2020, with Ukraine last year joining what was billed as European bid.

It was claimed that the addition of Ukraine, almost 3,000 kilometres north-east of Spain, would "project a message of unity, solidarity and generosity".

Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia and governance concerns at the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) have hampered its hopes of being a co-host for the 2030 World Cup.

The Athletic has reported that North African nation Morocco is due to replace Ukraine in the Iberian bid.

In contrast to the distance between Ukraine and the other two proposed host nations, Morocco is separated from Spain only by the narrow Strait of Gibraltar.

Morocco had considered a bid for the 2030 World Cup, potentially with Tunisia and Algeria.

It has made five unsuccessful bids to host the tournament, dating back to the 1994 edition.

Ukraine co-hosted the men's UEFA European Championship with Poland in 2012, but semi-final venue the Donbass Arena in Donetsk has been unused since May 2014 because of the conflict with Russia in the east of the country.

It also staged the men's UEFA Champions League final in 2018 at the Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex in Kyiv.

There is no end is in sight to the war which escalated following a full-scale invasion in February last year, prompting Russian teams to be removed from FIFA and UEFA competitions in line with the International Olympic Committee's recommendations.

There are also issues at the UAF, whose President Andriy Pavelko was arrested in November last year for allegedly misusing international aid funds.

A court in Kyiv suspended Pavelko for one month until March 17, but the UAF insisted he would retain his position after filing an appeal.

Pavelko has denied any wrongdoing, and is seeking re-election to the UEFA Executive Committee.

The UAF was also threatened with suspension by FIFA and UEFA at the end of last year if it went ahead with a meeting to replace Pavelko with legendary former player Andriy Shevchenko

Ukraine had increasingly been viewed as unlikely to be in a position to stage matches at the 2030 World Cup.

Morocco appears to enjoy good relations with FIFA, stepping in to host the men's Club World Cup in February at less than two months' notice.

They enjoyed a historic run to the semi-finals of last year's World Cup in Qatar, knocking out both Spain and Portugal.

A host for the 2030 World Cup is set to be decided at next year's FIFA Congress.

A South American bid including Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile is set to rival the Iberian bid, and Saudi Arabia hopes to lead a joint proposal with Egypt and Greece.

UEFA backed the Spanish and Portuguese bid when Ukraine joined it last year, but Greek involvement in a Saudi bid could appeal to some European nations.

Morocco's addition in contrast could split the African vote, given Egypt's involvement in the Saudi proposal.

The South American bid is significant given 2030 is set to mark 100 years since Uruguay held the first World Cup.

Spain was a standalone host for the 1982 World Cup.

The men's World Cup is set to expand from 32 to 48 teams from the 2026 event in the United States, Mexico and Canada.